Multiple crashes causes northbound lanes of Blanding Blvd. to close

Northbound traffic on Blanding Boulevard was closed for hours Friday night after what the Florida Highway Patrol described as an erratic driver caused multiple car crashes, sending himself and six other people to local hospitals.

According to troopers, 22-year-old Bryant Copney, of Middleburg, was driving south when he tried to go around another car at the corner of Blanding and Jefferson Avenue, but struck the vehicle and overturned -- ejecting Copney onto the sidewalk. His car continued to roll, entering the northbound lanes of Blanding and struck an SUV.

Copney was transported to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the first car were not injured, but the driver and her 6-year-old daughter in the SUV were transported to Orange Park Medical Center with minor injuries.

The FHP said Investigation revealed that Copney's Mazda was involved in two additional crashes on Blanding Boulevard just prior to this wreck. Those crashes were at the intersection of Wells Road and Parkridge Avenue.

The FHP said four people were transported from the previous accident scenes, none with life-threatening injuries.

There was a report of related accidents at Blanding and Kingsley and a motorcycle struck near College Avenue, but the FHP report did not give details.

Northbound traffic on Blanding was completely shut down from just after 9 p.m. until after midnight. Southbound traffic was slow, restricted to one lane, during the same time.

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